The Roundabout (DD)
"The Roundabout" is the second episode of Season 1 of Dark Days. It is the second episode overall. It premiered on April 28, 2018. Synopsis "Following a recent loss, a group of friends band together to solve a mystery; Principal Parker enlists his right-hand-man to do some undercover work." Plot Victor Timmons' funeral draws to a close, as his body, wrapped up in a tarp, is buried on campus. Students and faculty dismiss themselves, some talking quietly amongst each other, others retreating inside the main building. Parker walks amongst the others, silently nodding to various students, before he approaches the head of security, Daniel Noire. The two share a knowing glance as they step off to the side, in private, rounding a corner. "I'm certain you know what I'm here to ask of you." Parker says. "I saw that look in your eyes yesterday, the moment Timmons' bite was revealed. Don't get antsy." "Yeah, yeah..." Daniel checks over his shoulder. "Just... it's irking all of us that we suddenly got danger to deal with. I wanna find this shit's source and seal it up." "And how do you intend to do that on your own? Don't go running into danger." Parker sternly glares at him, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "You should know better than to go all-in without any idea of what you're truly getting into. We have to find the source, but what if the source is a much larger herd? Who is to say you won't stumble across it and get yourself killed before anything can be done?" Daniel bites his lip, his eyes darting around. "... look Blaine, we're burning daylight right now. I'm sorry Timmons is gone, but... I swore I'd protect these people, even before all this. The students, the staff, you... my wife... everyone here. Timmons death is on me, because I couldn't notice something. Some kind of breach. Now I gotta own that, I gotta figure... something out." After a moment, Parker smiles. "You've always had such a fire in you, Daniel. Never have I ever doubted your capabilities. Honor the fallen by working to find the truth." Daniel nods, anxious as he looks across the ground. "Can't be too careful anymore... one of them could crawl up and nip you if you aren't paying attention." "If you understand what I'm asking, then I'll leave you to it." Parker says. "Stay safe and be cautious. That tops all else, and rivals finding the source." As Parker walks away, Daniel steps back and turns, looking around again. He continues around the corner, speed walking down the side of the building. "Daniel?" He stops and turns on his heels, a woman walking towards him. He sighs. "Candice, I'm busy." "You're always busy." She huffs, crossing her arms. "It's the end of the world, I don't want you to be doing people's dirty work all the time. Not anymore." "Candice, we just had a funeral." Daniel leans in and says under his breath. "When's the last time we had one of those? It's all about keeping people from dying nowadays. We've got dead in the school, somewhere, and I'm the one tasked with finding it. Do you really wanna stop me from doing that?" Candice sighs and turns, walking away. "I can't take any more shit..." Daniel watches her go, before he turns and resumes checking the perimeter of the school. "Neither can I, but we'll all die if nobody does a thing..." Alex Michaels steps out onto the roof of the main building, shutting the door and going over to the edge rail to look out over the walled up campus grounds. He sighs, looking out beyond the main gates to the whole ghost town of Tuscaloosa. The door opens behind him, and he looks, seeing Raye standing there. "Hey." "Oh, uh... yo." Alex shrugs and looks out over the railing again. "Didn't realize you followed me up here." "You've been going off on your own for a while now, I've noticed." Raye walks up and stands next to him, putting an arm around Alex's shoulders. "I mean... it's not like I don't know why. Or really, part of it. Kinda." Alex snorts. "C'mon, really? I used to be the big stutterer, not you." Raye chuckles and shakes his head. "Don't go off track dingus. I'm the one trying to make you feel better." Alex's smile fades and he looks out at the town of the dead once more. "I hate... looking out there and seeing danger, and then looking in here and seeing danger. And when Timmons bit the dust..." "Hey, hey. As long as I'm around..." Raye places a soft kiss on Alex's cheek, bringing his voice to a whisper. "... you've got nothing to worry about. Okay?" Alex smiles and looks at Raye, nodding. "... thank you, Raye. Really." Raye returns a loving smile as the two look out over the railing for a time. Later in the afternoon, Dahlia patrols the campus, searching for many of her friends among the remaining student body, Warren by her side. She gathers a handful of people, including Raye, Oliver, Chad, Erika, Rocky, Gina, Monica, Alex, and Kylie, and they follow her to the front of the campus, confused as to what she has in mind. "Dahlia, what are you so urgent over?" Rocky asks, speeding up to keep up with her. "Why can't you just tell us what it is?" "Because it's private, and if any of the staff get word of our plan, they'll shut us all down immediately." Dahlia replies, briskly continuing forward. "... plan?" Rocky repeats, the others still following as Dahlia finally stops in front of an old fountain, sitting down on it. "Look, if you really wanna know, then you have to let me know my trust is in the right place." Dahlia says rather sternly. "Can I trust you? All of you?" "Well... yeah." Chad says, nodding. "I mean, we've all been friends for a while... are you really questioning our trustworthiness?" "In this world..." Dahlia eyes Warren. "... you question everything and everyone, all the time. The people you know don't always leave, but they're always joined by people you've never even met before. People who could be a danger. The kinds of people who adapt to this world... the wrong way." Silence falls as they all look around at each other, before Warren breaks it. "Look, we all trust each other, okay? I don't think that's ever up for debate. Not in the last world, and not in this one." "Then what's this all about?" Erika crosses her arms. "I've got a right to be skeptical if one of my friends is of me." "Yeah, don't start distrusting us all." Monica glares. "You brought us all over here just to call us into question? Kinda shitty thing to do." "Look, everyone calm down, shut up, and listen." Dahlia commands, glaring around at the group as she stands up. "We need to figure out how the dead got inside here if we want any chance of seeing tomorrow. We all know they're a threat, but we're the only people who are gonna be able to do anything about it." "And the staff can't?" Gina shrugs. "Parks can be a prick but he's more helpful than nothing. What makes you the head honcho?" "Because I'm the only person in this place with the balls to do anything." Dahlia glares at the girl. "But you're a girl, only guys have actual balls." Everyone turns to stare at Oliver, who throws his hands up. "Guys tell jokes, jeez." "Everyone ignore him, he's being a moron..." Dahlia mutters, earning an angered, "Hey!", from Oliver. "Forget the staff, forget their plans, focus on this. We need to find wherever the dead managed to breach. However they got inside, we need to figure that out, clear any that may still be inside, and plug it all up." "So then, what's your big plan to come about this?" Alex asks. "I'll assign groups to patrol the school." Dahlia explains. "I'll be taking the first floor and the basement on my own. It's where the staff is most likely to look and having multiple people will be harder to manage. We'll alternate with who searches where frequently, until something turns up." "As for the rest of us?" Rocky asks. "I, um... I think I'm the one working the groups out." Warren shrugs. "I mean... yeah. If we're gonna find where the walkers are, we all have to communicate. That's why I'll work out groups. Any questions?" Before anyone can respond, someone approaches them in a hurry -- Caroline. "Hey. Sorry if I'm interrupting..." She places her hands on her hips. "You guys got a minute?" Warren looks to Dahlia, who rolls her eyes. "What's up, Caroline." "We wanted to see if anyone is coming with us." Caroline responds. The others appear confused, and Raye tilts his head. "What? What do you mean by... 'coming with us'?" "Us." Caroline points behind her, over her shoulder, with a thumb, and the group sees Jackson, Sandra, and a few other students behind them. "Coming with us." "Where are you guys even going?" Oliver asks. Caroline looks back at her small group, before turning to the others. "We're leaving the university." "No." Dahlia stands up in a hurry, storming over to Caroline and getting up in her face. "That's not your call, it's dangerous as hell out there. You don't get to just give up the safety in here and just go it alone in that... wasteland!" "After walkers broke in and killed Timmons, we don't trust this place anymore." Caroline argues. "This place is going to fall, from the outside, or from within. Sooner or later, everyone here is gonna be fucked. We already talked to Principal Parker, we're leaving whether you like it or not. It is not safe here anymore." "I'm not gonna sit around and let people wander around in the unknown and get killed." Dahlia glares, gritting her teeth. "We've all seen what happens. If you don't want what happened to Timmons to happen to you, why are you going out into the source?!" Caroline doesn't even waver. "Because unlike in here, it's harder to get shoved up against a wall and torn apart out there. It's called running, Dahlia. You don't know what it means to retreat. You'll stand your ground until the bitter end." "Fuck you." Dahlia spits. "Fine, go out there, get torn the fuck to shreds. I don't care..." "You do though. I can tell you do. Your ego to keep everyone safe your way, even though things are falling apart, is so obvious." Caroline says. "This place is fucked, and in order to keep myself safe, and the people I care about safe, I have to make these decisions. It's like what you said, people have to take initiative." "You can't just go and give me the roundabout, Caroline!" Dahlia shouts, as Caroline walks off, the other members of her group following. "Warren, back me up here!" "I-I, uh..." Warren walks over to her. "... Dahlia, this isn't my place." Before Dahlia can say anything, Warren sprints off to the gates with the others, a handful of other students and staff watching as Caroline and her group wait by the gates. A few people get ready to open them as Caroline turns to see Warren and the others approaching. "I guess you guys have finally seen that this is the best option?" She asks. "Caroline, hold on..." Warren stops before her. "... the end of the world has made us all realize that sticking together, being together... working together... that's what helps us all make it another day, and then another, and then another. So why... do you have to leave? Why can't you stay? We can make it work, we can find the breach... find how they got in, all of us. Everyone. Because that's what it takes in this world." Caroline is silent for a moment. She looks at the ground, before looking back up at Warren. "I hope you make it, Warren. I do. I see a lot of good in you. I see a lot of good in a lot of people here. But my mind is made up... if you want to survive in this world, it's not just about being a good person. You have to be strong too, and all the university is gonna do is hamper and trap you until you're a sniveling weakling waiting to get eaten." Warren sighs, stepping back. Caroline looks at the rest of students and staff. "Well? Last chance. Anyone else coming with us?" Silence. Nobody says anything. Caroline looks around, all eyes on her. Nobody even moves. "... I-I'll go..." Eyes fall on Kylie, who slowly steps forward towards Caroline. Warren grabs her wrist. "Kylie, wait. You don't have to, you'll be safer in here. Don't let them pressure you." "I-I, um..." Kylie stammers, looking to Warren. "Kylie, come on. You know you'll be safer with people who actually know what they're doing." Caroline says. "Come on. It's the right decision." Kylie looks between Warren and Caroline, unsure of what to do, before she sighs. "... sorry." She pulls away from Warren, hastily walking to the back of the group, as Warren watches in dismay, unable to figure out something to say. Principal Parker approaches the group. He nods to them, Caroline and Jackson standing in front with Sandra behind them, and other students behind her. "I cannot say I agree with you all leaving here... but I spent my time before the end teaching you all to be independent, and maybe this is where it all pays off. You're making the choice you believe is right." He says. "Just know that I do respect it, and I wish for nothing more than the best, and that you all stay safe, above all else." Caroline nods, and hugs him, surprising a few people, before she steps back and Sandra hugs him as well. Parker smiles somewhat sadly, as he looks to Jackson. "And remember, if times get tough, and you aren't sure where to go, or what to do... you're all welcome back here at any time." Parker says. Jackson stares at Parker in the eyes and sighs. "... still think you can control me, black asshole?" "... what?" Parker is taken aback, and someone confused, before he stumbles back with a gasp of pain as a knife is plunged into his stomach. Several people scream as Jackson rips the weapon out and stabs it into his shoulder. "You don't have a say over me anymore! I've been WAITING to get away from you, ''YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" "''Jackson, STOP!" "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" "Someone help Parker! SOMEONE HELP!" Screaming and arguing break out as Caroline and Sandra pull an angered, thrashing Jackson away, shoving him outside the gates and following suite, the group of students leaving as the gates are shut, and Warren and a few other students run to the collapsed Parker. As the commotion dies down, and Parker's wounds are covered and he is slowly brought inside, Dahlia looks out the gate, staring at Caroline's group as they walk away. And she glares. Your Rating How would you rate the Dark Days episode "The Roundabout" out of ten? (If it's a low score, I'd love to hear why in the comments.) 10/10 9/10 8/10 7/10 6/10 5/10 4/10 3/10 2/10 1/10 0/10 Cast Starring * Ross Lynch as Warren Dotson * Jennifer Lawrence as Dahlia Dwelton * Nathan Kress as Raye Pence * Skyler Samuels as Gina Lestrade * Jordan Woods-Robinson as Chad Zachary * Bridgit Mendler as Monica Styles * Devon Sawa as Rocky Hartwell * Chloe Grace Moretz as Erika Monroe Also Starring * Michael Landes as Daniel Noire * Leigh Daniel Avidan as Oliver Blake * Tony Todd as Blaine Parker * Weird Al-Yankovic as Virgil Black * Amanda Arcuri as Kylie Washington * Tom Holland as Alex Michaels Co-Stars * Michelle Ang as Caroline * Steve Talley as Jackson * Camryn Manheim as Candice Noire * Emily Haine as Sandra (no lines) Deaths SPOILERS BELOW, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK * None Trivia SPOILERS BELOW, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK * First appearance of Candice Noire. * First appearance of Alex Michaels. * Last appearance of Caroline. (Unknown) * Last appearance of Jackson. (Unknown) * Last appearance of Sandra. (Unknown) * Last appearance of Kylie Washington. (Unknown) * The title of this episode comes from Dahlia's quote to Caroline; "You can't just go and give me the roundabout, Caroline!" Category:Episodes (DD) Category:Dark Days